It follows the discovery that Hong Su Jong (pictured) entered last month's World Championships using the third different birthdate of her career.

A provisional 30-day ban imposed on October 7 prevented North Korea from competing at the Championships in Rotterdam, the first step in team qualification for the London Olympics.

But North Korea still could have qualified individual gymnasts for London if the FIG had not imposed further punishment.

"The FIG's decision is a clear signal to those who would wilfully disregard the current rules surrounding gymnast age," FIG said in a statement released today.

"The health of its athletes and respect for the law are among the International Gymnastics Federation's highest priorities."

The ban runs until October 5, 2012, with the North Korean Gymnastics Federation also ordered to pay a 20,000 Swiss Franc (£13,000/$21,000) fine.

At the Athens Olympics in 2004 Hong was registered as having been born on March 9, 1985, but the date March 9, 1989, was given for the World Championships in Rotterdam when she was excluded.

At the same time, she was registered with a birthdate of March 9, 1986, at the 2007 World Championships, where she won the silver medal on vault.

If Hong was born in 1989, she would have been ineligible to compete in Athens.

Gymnasts must turn 16 in the calendar year of an Olympics in order to be eligible.

North Koreans were banned from the 1993 World Championships after FIG discovered that Kim Gwang Suk, the 1991 gold medallist on uneven bars, was listed as 15 years for three straight years.